Barbecue grills have grown in popularity in recent years. There are two primary types of barbecue grills commonly used: gas grills and solid fuel grills. Gas barbecue grills employ a gas burner element or group of burners to cook food that is supported on a grate above the burner(s). The fuel source for gas barbecue grills is typically liquid propane or natural gas that is stored for use in a fuel tank or bottle. A fuel bottle is typically utilized in connection with portable barbecue grills, while a larger fuel tank is utilized for stationary barbecue grills. In the United States, conventional fuel bottles are available in one of two standard sizes. In other countries, a number of fuel bottle sizes are available; however, one size is typically utilized. Solid fuel barbecue grills use combustible solid fuel, typically charcoal, to cook the food. As a result, this type of grill is commonly referred to as a charcoal barbecue grill. Some conventional charcoal barbecue grills utilize a smaller fuel tank to aid with the ignition of the charcoal. Regardless of the type, most barbecue grills have a cooking chamber that generally includes a cover and a firebox.
With respect to portable gas barbecue grills, the fuel bottle is the common variety of the fuel source. Conventional barbecue grills of this type typically do not include any structure(s) to house and/or support the fuel bottle while it is in fluid communication with the burner element. As a result, the fuel bottle remains unsupported during use of the portable gas barbecue. In the event that a conventional portable gas barbecue grill has a support structure for the fuel bottle, the support structure is crudely affixed to the grill support frame which necessitates additional components, such as hoses or lines, to ensure fluid communication between the fuel bottle and the burner element. The additional components can be cumbersome and generally increase the manufacturing cost of the portable barbecue grill.
Another aspect of fuel bottle support structures found in conventional portable barbecue grills is that the support structure is configured to accept only a single-sized fuel bottle. This means that the conventional support structure lacks the ability to receive different-sized fuel bottles. Thus, the operator of the portable barbecue grill is limited in the selection and use of fuel bottles. This limitation reduces the utility of fuel bottle support structures found in conventional portable barbecue grills.
One example of such a common portable barbecue grill having a limited fuel bottle support is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,332,339 to Helgeson et al. In FIGS. 1–3, a support ring 102 for the fuel bottle 80 extends from a side wall 28 of the portable grill 20. Since the support ring 102 extends from the side wall 28, a hose 82 is needed to direct fuel from the fuel bottle 80 to the burner element 86. In addition, the support ring 102 is a fixed structure that is not capable of adjustment or variance to accept different-sized fuel bottles Another example of the limitations of conventional portable barbecue grills is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,317 to James. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a holder 42 extends from a side wall of the housing 38. Due to the positioning of the holder 42, a flexible conduit 44 is needed to distribute fuel from the bottle 41 through the valve 43 and to the burner element 37. The holder 42, a metallic strap or bracket, lacks adjustability to receive different-sized fuel bottles 41.
Despite the popularity of portable gas barbecue grills, there is a need for a fuel bottle support apparatus that is properly positioned to ensure direct connection with the regulator when the fuel bottle is in fluid communication with the burner element. Further, there is a need for a portable barbecue grill with a fuel bottle support apparatus that is capable of receiving and supporting different-sized fuel bottles. The present invention is provided to resolve these and other needs.